CBS Sports and former lead NFL game analyst Tony Romo have mutually agreed to part ways, ending Romo’s nine-year run in the network’s top booth.
The split closes a tenure that began after Romo left the Dallas Cowboys and became one of the most recognizable voices on CBS’s NFL coverage. The network confirmed the departure in a brief statement: “We thank Tony for his contributions over the last nine years and wish him the best moving forward.”
Romo had been on indefinite leave since shortly after a July incident in Wisconsin. He was arrested and later pleaded no contest to three charges tied to operating a vehicle while intoxicated. CBS did not link the departure directly to the case in its statement.
JJ Watt, who stepped into the role on an interim basis after Romo’s leave began, will remain in the No. 1 booth for the rest of the season. He will continue working alongside play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz and sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson.
In his own statement, Romo said he was proud of his work at CBS and framed the decision as a chance to pause. “I’m proud of what I accomplished at CBS Sports over the last nine years. I approached my role as a game analyst the way I’ve approached everything in my life—with a desire to win and be the best that I can be,” he said. “I’m going to use this time to take a break, something I’ve never done before, and focus on my health and my family before moving on to my next opportunity. I am grateful for my time with CBS Sports and for the continued support of my family and friends, as well as the NFL community and fans.”
Romo, the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback, pleaded no contest on Sept. 1 to a first-offense OWI, a civil offense in Wisconsin. He called the incident a “personal failure,” saying multiple back surgeries and an earlier dependence on pain medication had contributed to an “over-reliance on alcohol.” At the time, he said he was working with doctors to address his health and hoped to return to CBS “in time.”
Romo joined CBS Sports in 2017 immediately after retiring from the NFL, replacing Phil Simms as the network’s lead NFL game analyst alongside Jim Nantz. He quickly drew attention for his ability to anticipate plays before the snap and became one of the most prominent voices in NFL broadcasting.
In 2020, CBS signed him to a long-term extension worth roughly $17 million a year, then a record deal for a sports broadcaster.